Mumbai school buses to get CCTVs to nab molesters

In wake of growing incidents of child molestation by conductors, city police have asked all schools in the metropolis to install closed-circuit television cameras (CCTVs) in their buses which ferry students.

Police have also asked school authorities to ensure regular check-up of drivers' eye sight every six months, besides having drivers' and conductors' antecedents verified.

"The CCTVs with at least 15 days recording facility should be installed in school buses," said a police officer.

School authorities hiring private buses for children should also go through details of the vehicles such as registration number, road permit, driver's license, insurance and vehicle fitness.

Bus windows should be fitted with horizontal grills. Surprise checks may be conducted to see whether the driver and conductor have consumed alcohol, the official said.

Two molestation incidents came to the fore recently in the city, which prompted police to take a slew of measures to curb the menace.

In January, a 35-year-old school bus conductor was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a four-year-old nursery student of a premier Juhu school on a moving school bus.

A month later, a 24-year-old school bus cleaner was arrested on charges of molesting a three-year-old girl in suburban Malad.